Nonstop flight route between Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:
Departure Airport:
(51°40'55"N by 1°47'24"W)
Arrival Airport:
(44°2'43"N by 103°3'25"W)
Distance from FFD to RAP:
4,333.32 miles (6,973.79 km)
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- About this route
- FFD Airport Information
- RAP Airport Information
- Facts about FFD
- Facts about RAP
- Map of Nearest Airports to FFD
- List of Nearest Airports to FFD
- Map of Furthest Airports from FFD
- List of Furthest Airports from FFD
- Map of Nearest Airports to RAP
- List of Nearest Airports to RAP
- Map of Furthest Airports from RAP
- List of Furthest Airports from RAP
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,333 miles (or 6,974 kilometers).
A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between RAF Fairford and Rapid City Regional Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.
Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between RAF Fairford and Rapid City Regional Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | FFD / EGVA |
| Airport Name: | RAF Fairford |
| Location: | Fairford, England, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 51°40'55"N by 1°47'24"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
| View all routes: | Routes from FFD |
| More Information: | FFD Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | RAP / KRAP |
| Airport Name: | Rapid City Regional Airport |
| Location: | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°2'43"N by 103°3'25"W |
| Area Served: | Rapid City, South Dakota |
| Operator/Owner: | City of Rapid City |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 3204 feet (977 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from RAP |
| More Information: | RAP Maps & Info |
Facts about RAF Fairford (FFD):
- On 15 September 2009, it was announced that the USAF will withdraw all their uniformed staff from the station by September 2010, after which it will be run on a "care and maintenance" basis.
- RAF Fairford was the only TransOceanic Abort Landing site for NASA's Space Shuttle in the UK.
- In the early years of the Cold War the British and American governments reached an agreement under which elements of the USAF Strategic Air Command would be based in the UK.
- The furthest airport from RAF Fairford (FFD) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,898 miles (19,148 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
- KC-135 and KC-10 tankers deployed to Fairford supported Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya in 1986.
- Operations staff and maintenance personnel were permanently assigned, but aircraft, aircrews and crew chiefs were temporarily assigned to the 11th Strategic Group for the European Tanker Task Force on rotation.
- The closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.
Facts about Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP):
- The closest airport to Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) is Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) N of RAP.
- The terminal building opened in 1988.
- The furthest airport from Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,585 miles (17,035 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) has 2 runways.
- Rapid City Regional Airport covers 1,655 acres at an elevation of 3,204 feet above mean sea level.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10.00 miles (16.09 km) ENE | RAF Brize Norton (BZZ) | Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom |     |
| 2 | 15.02 miles (24.17 km) SW | RAF Lyneham (LYE) | Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 22.77 miles (36.64 km) ENE | Oxford Airport (OXF) | Oxford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 30.10 miles (48.45 km) E | RAF Benson (BEX) | Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 36.28 miles (58.38 km) WSW | Bristol Filton Airport (FZO) | Filton, Bristol, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 42.33 miles (68.12 km) E | RAF High Wycombe (HYC) | High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 44.98 miles (72.38 km) WSW | Bristol Airport (BRS) | Bristol, England, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 47.23 miles (76.02 km) SE | Lasham Airfield (QLA) | Lasham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 47.50 miles (76.44 km) ESE | Blackbushe Airport (BBS) | Yateley, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 10 | 47.84 miles (76.99 km) SE | RAF Odiham (ODH) | Odiham, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 49.48 miles (79.64 km) NNE | Coventry Airport (CVT) | Coventry, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 50.42 miles (81.15 km) ENE | Milton Keynes Airport (KYN) | Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 51.85 miles (83.45 km) ESE | Farnborough Airport (FAB) | Farnborough, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 53.35 miles (85.85 km) N | Birmingham Airport (BHX) | Birmingham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 53.92 miles (86.78 km) SSE | Southampton Airport (SOU) | Eastleigh (near Southampton), England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,897.99 miles (19,147.91 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,874.86 miles (19,110.69 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,869.65 miles (19,102.31 km) SE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,860.18 miles (19,087.07 km) SE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,839.51 miles (19,053.79 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,834.41 miles (19,045.60 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,833.87 miles (19,044.72 km) SE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,822.95 miles (19,027.15 km) SSE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,812.41 miles (19,010.18 km) SSE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,804.61 miles (18,997.63 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,803.98 miles (18,996.62 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,782.42 miles (18,961.92 km) SE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,774.40 miles (18,949.02 km) SE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,761.76 miles (18,928.67 km) SSE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,760.44 miles (18,926.54 km) SE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 7.04 miles (11.33 km) N | Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA) | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States | |
| 2 | 46.83 miles (75.37 km) NW | Black Hills Airport (SPF) | Spearfish, South Dakota, United States | |
| 3 | 75.78 miles (121.95 km) SSE | Pine Ridge Airport (XPR) | Pine Ridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 4 | 83.47 miles (134.33 km) S | Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR) | Chadron, Nebraska, United States | |
| 5 | 124.73 miles (200.73 km) W | Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC) | Gillette, Wyoming, United States | |
| 6 | 138.22 miles (222.45 km) S | Alliance Municipal Airport (AIA) | Alliance, Nebraska, United States | |
| 7 | 139.19 miles (224.01 km) E | Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) | Pierre, South Dakota, United States | |
| 8 | 145.22 miles (233.71 km) SW | Converse County Airport (DGW) | Douglas, Wyoming, United States | |
| 9 | 147.61 miles (237.56 km) SSW | Torrington Municipal Airport (TOR) | Torrington, Wyoming, United States | |
| 10 | 149.07 miles (239.91 km) N | Bowman Municipal Airport (BWM) | Bowman, North Dakota, United States | |
| 11 | 150.24 miles (241.78 km) ESE | Miller Field (VTN) | Valentine, Nebraska, United States | |
| 12 | 152.48 miles (245.39 km) S | Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) | Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States | |
| 13 | 166.27 miles (267.58 km) NE | Mobridge Municipal Airport (MBG) | Mobridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 14 | 184.35 miles (296.68 km) ESE | Ainsworth Regional Airport (ANW) | Ainsworth, Nebraska, United States | |
| 15 | 188.01 miles (302.58 km) WSW | Casper–Natrona County International AirportCasper Army Airfield (CPR) | Casper, Wyoming, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,584.99 miles (17,034.84 km) SSE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 2 | 10,465.49 miles (16,842.53 km) SE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 3 | 10,442.04 miles (16,804.79 km) SE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 4 | 10,420.15 miles (16,769.57 km) SE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 5 | 10,303.64 miles (16,582.06 km) ESE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 10,293.76 miles (16,566.15 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,270.38 miles (16,528.53 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,253.94 miles (16,502.08 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,245.72 miles (16,488.85 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,202.10 miles (16,418.65 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,194.16 miles (16,405.87 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,188.74 miles (16,397.15 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,188.67 miles (16,397.03 km) ESE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,178.61 miles (16,380.85 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,165.58 miles (16,359.87 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |